[MrsFattyPants]

Hi Everyone!

I'm Toni, 28, female & Canadian!

I'm not new to the diet world but new to 3FC! I'm hoping to learn how to live a healthier lifestyle and lose some weight in the process.

After pretty much trying every diet out there I've realized that the best diet is free! So, i'm working on Calorie Counting cause it's a real way to teach yourself to eat well!

I'm slowly working through finding the right number of calories to eat and figuring out what works for me and what doesn't.

I'm using My Daily Plate to keep track of my calories and so far my calorie goals are about 1300 a day. Im playing around with this and seeing where it takes me!

Just wanted to say hello, introduce myself and let you ladies know that you all inspire me very much!

Have a great day everyone!

P,S How long have you all been CC and how much weight have you lost? Any advice for a newbie?

[ElizabethG]

Welcome!

Calorie counting is awesome because its free and helps you be more aware of the calories in everything!

I too use daily plate and have a max of 2000 calories per day (actually it just went down to 1999) for a 1 lb a week loss but I rarely reach it. I usually get around 1700 most days. I have one cheat meal a week and thus I usually go over once a week but not always. I've lost 40 lbs since the end of January. It's going slowly but surely! If I dropped calories more I am sure I'd lose more rapidly, but I don't want to! lol I think figuring out how many calories you can eat and still lose so you aren't depriving yourself and thus you will stay on your diet easier!

I've lost weight doing calorie counting before too (eating far less calories 1200-1400 range). Its the only thing that has ever worked for me. But I always get tired of doing it (feel deprived, hungry and depressed that i have to police myself) so I quit and the pounds come back and then some, this was the first time I went over 200 and I went WAY over 200!

I am hoping with the help of this board, higher calorie goals and all the new calorie counting tools online I will be able to stick with it this time. (first time i did it i used an excel document, second time i used fitday, and this time i started on spark people but switched to daily plate because i like it better)

Anyway, welcome!!!

[MrsFattyPants]

Thanks for responding Elizabeth!

I had registered with Spark People also! I found it WAY too complicated for me. There is SOOOOO much going there that I was getting overwhelmed and frustrated. Daily Plate is way easier to use and so far it's making tracking my food easy and hassle free!

As for calories, i'm eating roughly 1300 right now. So far i'm not starving by any means. I'm working through this, figuring out what works and what doesn't. I guess that's the whole point right?

[KenzideRhae]

Hey there Toni! I adore your name, by the way.

Anyway, I've been calorie counting since May, losing weight since February, and so far I've lost almost ~65 lbs. Those first few months were spent just increasing my exercise and trying to cut out some junk, which really helped kick start things, but the calorie counting has been really great.

I use about.com's Calorie Count, and I get 1305 calories a day, so similar to you. My advice would be to make sure you put in your new, lower weight to whatever program you're using to count calories every month or so. When I first started calorie counting, my daily allowance was higher than it is now, but as you lose weight, your calorie needs decrease too.

[MrsFattyPants]

Thanks KenzideRhae!

I cut out soft drinks and junk food since September. Without really modifying anything else I lost 6 lbs. That's pretty much when I realized that calories was the way to go.

[KenzideRhae]

Originally Posted by MrsFattyPants

Thanks KenzideRhae!

I cut out soft drinks and junk food since September. Without really modifying anything else I lost 6 lbs. That's pretty much when I realized that calories was the way to go.

Yeah, soft drinks were the first thing to go when I started cutting things out. Then I gave up fried foods and potato chips for Lent, and I totally thought I'd crave them, but I didn't really want them at all even after Easter was over so haha.

[goal4agirl]

Toni you are at the right place for encouragement and motivation! The ladies and gentlemen here are so sweet and we are all going through the same kinds of struggles. I wish you great success in your weight loss. You will love calorie counting it is so easy.
I have been calorie counting since June 2010 and have lost 51 Lbs.
It looks like you are on your way!

ElizabethG- congratulations on reaching onederland!!
(sorry Toni for hijacking your thread there)